Seeing the Forest for the Trees
by RixSkywalker1405
Summary: Ash Ketchum has been given his first case, as the new recruit for Interpol. Joined with Senior Agent Brock, they will have to learn to see the big picture from the small details. Minor Advanceshipping.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own Pokemon. And I'm terrible with names.**

* * *

_"... another case of a missing person. Police have confirmed that Ronald McDonald was last spotted near his home on Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. This is the 10th person missing in the last 3 months, amongst several killings. Police have not ruled out foul play…"_

"Please turn that off Mr. Ketchum."

Ash obliged. He was no stranger to the case that had garnered attention far and wide. Ten people missing in the last 3 months, many others found dead. Nobody was sure whether the responsible party was several people or a single person.

"Now here are the confidential reports for the Crimson Case. Agent Brock will also be assisting you on your first assignment. If you have any questions, please direct them to him."

A large, well-built figure loomed behind the Director. Ash needed no introductions to who he was. Brock was a senior agent, infamous for his sharp mind and high criminal capture rate. To think such a high ranked agent would be working with him, he was overwhelmed.

He stuck his hand out in greeting. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Ash Ketchum and I'm the new recruit."

Brock roughly shook his hand but said nothing. Ash could feel his eyes bore into his soul, trying to evaluate his skills.

"Well then gentlemen, you may take your leave now. Here are the flight and accommodation details in Petalburg City. Do your best to get to the bottom of this."

* * *

The journey towards Petalburg City was uneventful. Brock still had not said anything, so Ash was left alone to his thoughts.

Although he kept a calm exterior, Ash was secretly excited. Training was gruelling and he had worked hard to become an agent. Most recruits waited for quite a while before receiving their first mission. He was lucky to have received his within the first month.

"We're here," Brock said as their taxi pulled up to their new residence in Petalburg City.

Ash stepped out and took in the sight. Petalburg City was a bustling city. The numerous cars that drove past, the number of people on the street… It gave him a little vertigo, coming from such a small town as Pallet Town.

Fishing for the keys in his pockets, he opened the door to his new life.

"What should we do first?" Ash asked.

Brock dumped what little luggage they possessed on the sofa. "You're the recruit, you make the decisions."

Ash thought a little bit. Having to order around someone like Brock seemed a little intimidating. But internally he knew. This was his first mission; he would have to prove himself.

"Then let's scope out the city first. Integrate ourselves as locals and meet people."

Brock nodded.

* * *

Ash was sweating profusely. All that training, all the years of hard work and he was stopped by _this _of all things.

"Confound it," he said, kicking a nearby pebble. "I think we're lost."

"Here, let me have a look," Brock said.

Ash sighed and handed over the directions. To think he lost to a map of all things.

Brock patted Ash's shoulder. "You got close enough. It's only a block from here."

Ash silently nodded and followed Brock. It was embarrassing that he failed at such a minor task. He was glad that Brock didn't push the matter further. Maybe he knew Ash was tired and probably extremely nervous to set a good impression.

Though looking around, Ash was mesmerized by the city. Plenty of trees and people.

Technology also seemed to be greatly evident. He remembered being hopelessly confused by the self-service checkout system in the supermarket. Thankfully Brock came to bail him out.

Gee, this mission was already off to a bad start.

"Here," he heard Brock's voice cut through his thoughts.

Ash looked at the building they were just in front of. Taking a deep breath, he opened the door.

* * *

"Ah you must be the new recruit, Ash. Pleasure to meet you. And no introductions necessary from you of course, Brock."

Ash shook Officer Jenny's hand shyly. To be granted so much status as an agent was a new experience to him. On the other hand, Brock's influence carried leaps and bounds ahead of him. He already knew of Brock's legendary status, but this just further reinforced it.

"I'm glad to have Interpol's assistance in this matter. As you're probably aware, police are flummoxed by this case and I have my hands full on other matters. If there's anything I can do to help you, please let me know."

Ash thought a little bit. It was time he took a little initiative. "I'd like a full list of the victims and their details, just to cross-check against my reports."

Officer Jenny nodded. "I don't think there's too much more than what Interpol has on hand but sure, I'll put in the request. Anything else?"

Ash bit his lip. He knew what she was implying. "I have my ways Officer," he said curtly. "I'd also like to know, where is the best place to hear all of the city's gossip?"

She thought about it for a bit. "There's no one place that does it per se, you'll probably have to try several places. Maybe the City Hall. Or the clubs. Or even the people themselves. My apologies, I don't know Mr. Ketchum. Anything else?"

"One more thing, Officer. Please keep our identities a secret from everyone else. That includes the police who work here."

Officer Jenny thought about it for a second. "I can't say I understand your motives here, but I'll do my best. Please do understand that it will not be an easy feat considering my men are smart."

"No worries Officer. You have been a great help. If there's anything I need, I'll contact you immediately," he said. Looking at Brock, he motioned to leave.

As they left the Police Station, Brock finally began speaking. "Nice going recruit, you handled it without resorting to my help."

Ash beamed from the praise. Honestly, he so badly wanted Brock to step in but Brock didn't need to know that.

"Some observations from me though. Police reports usually have much less information than Interpol reports. Requesting a police report in this case was a pretty redundant move. Secondly, gossip. It's good to know what people think, but things don't work the same way as in a small town. Rumours don't spread as easily. The missing case however has turned into a big matter so I don't know how it will turn out."

Ash winced. Officer Jenny also hinted at the same point, albeit more politely. But he stuck by his idea. Reports require evidence for each statement made. People sometimes provide better insight with a hint of common sense.

Brock continued. "Though I am interested as to why you requested secrecy from Officer Jenny. Nothing wrong with being undercover of course, but by declaring ourselves we could open advantages."

Thankfully Ash knew what he was doing here. "People open up more to friends than to authority. Even if they're the most upstanding citizen, subconsciously people will rebel against authority."

Brock raised an eyebrow at the remark.

* * *

The duo decided to spend the rest of the day unpacking and taking rest. The next few days, Ash deemed, would involve a lot more legwork and gathering information from various sources.

In the evening, he went to collect the police reports from Officer Jenny.

"Here Mr. Ketchum. I've made sure to separate the public domain and classified portions for your convenience. Please let me know if you need anything else."

Ash headed back home and compared the police reports to the Interpol reports. They were virtually similar, except that the police report also included the victims' photos and house addresses.

"Brock was correct," he sighed. Nothing much could come of it now.

Filing both reports away, he crashed into his bed. He could make out Brock snoring away in the other room. Hopefully he could make better use of his time in the forthcoming days.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, Ash woke up early and decided to explore the neighbourhood. It was better he understood the layout of the area, especially since Brock wouldn't be there to always guide him.

As he walked a couple blocks, he slowly became intimate with his surroundings. There wasn't much around him apart from houses, a bakery and the Police Station but he was still ecstatic.

Armed with his confidence, he began to jog back. As he rounded the corner, he ended up running into someone.

"Owww…" the other person whimpered, rubbing their head.

Ash also did the same before noticing the other person. A woman, probably in her early 20s, sat opposite him. Brown hair, blue eyes. Cute brunette.

"I'm so sorry, I should have looked where I was going," he said feeling a little guilty.

She however waved it off. "Don't worry about it. It's my fault I'm running late… Ah, I'm late!" she said, before speeding off.

Ash rubbed his sore head and headed back home.

He walked into Brock cooling up a storm in the kitchen. "Exploring the neighbourhood?"

Startled at his deduction, Ash nodded. "Had to get a feel for the area. Also looked for some potential places to begin."

Brock smiled and said, "Excellent. We'll hear your ideas over breakfast."

* * *

"This is where it is. Conveniently, they're also our neighbours."

Brock looked at where Ash took him. It was a small homely bakery. Unsure of his intentions, Brock asked, "What do you have in mind, recruit?"

Ash said, "Work."

Seeing Brock raise his eyebrows, he continued. "Integration is key. We have to really become the average local and work, not just live in the house all the time."

Brock was still not convinced. "That's all well and good but we'll need to prepare for interviews, have a CV and so on. Have you thought this through?" he said.

Ash simply ignored him and walked through the glass doors.

"Welcome to Confection Convection! What would you like today?"

Ash looked at the couple running the bakery. An elderly woman greeted him while an elderly man was working on stacking the shelves of cakes and bread. Probably in their 60s he estimated.

"Hi, we're not here to buy. We'd like to apply for the job you had posted on the flyer outside."

The woman looked startled for a second before glancing at her husband. Bigger smiles crept into their faces.

"Yes, of course. My husband will take you inside," she said as her husband motioned for them through the 'STAFF ONLY' door.

Ash went inside, followed by a reluctant Brock.

"Recruit, are you out of your mind?" Brock whispered angrily but Ash still turned a deaf ear.

Taking them to what looked like a small living room, the man gestures for the two of them to take a seat on some old chairs.

"So, tell me, what are your names? Why do you want to work here?" he said.

Ash was already ready. "I'm Ash and this is my cousin, Brock," he said. "We just moved next door and were looking for a job. Working here would be convenient as we're next door neighbours and we'd like to extend a hand."

The man laughed. "Oh ain't that convenient. Yes lad, me wife and I really struggle to work around these old bones. We have someone to help but she only comes in part-time so the morning is a struggle."

Ash joined in. "Of course, I can imagine. That's why the two of us are ready to lend a hand, sir!"

"Please, call me Carl. Me wife's Cathy," he said. "Nothing to say from your side?" he asked, looking at Brock.

"I...uh, um" Brock stuttered but Ash saved him. "Sorry Carl, he's a little bad with words. He'll start speaking when he warns up to you."

Carl nodded. "I understand that, Ash, I'm much like himself. Have trouble speaking so I let Cathy deal with customers." Looking at Brock, he said, "Take your time, it's okay."

Suddenly getting all serious, he said, "Okay, now onto business. You're aware this is a small place. Me wife and I can't pay you too much. Are ye sure you're okay with that?"

Ash nodded. "We don't need too much cash, just food. We'll take any of the day's leftovers so that the food for customers is always fresh."

Carl scratched his chin. "That's a deal then boys. You help us and we'll provide food!"

Ash shook his hand. "Deal. We can start right now."

Carl laughed heartily. "I like your spirit, Ash! Help me wife up front. I'll take Brock here, his muscles will make this a piece of cake."

* * *

Due to their fantastic work ethic, Cathy and Carl allowed them to leave early.

"You boys take a break, you deserve it," Carl said. "The part-timer can handle it now, although there isn't much left to do, ahaha!"

"Here boys, have some cake for your help," Cathy said.

Ash and Brock waves them goodbye as they headed back home.

Stepping inside, Brock immediately grabbed him. "You have a lot of explaining to do, recruit!"

"Geez, what's with you?" he said, struggling to breathe. "Let me down and I'll tell you!"

Brock's grip loosened but he still didn't let go of Ash. "How did you know they had a job posting?"

"Flyer outside, it was pretty obvious."

"CV, interview...nothing happened. Why?"

"They're an old couple, they're weary early in the morning. But the board outside said they're open till 7pm. Do you really think they'd push away anybody who is interested in helping them?"

Brock let go of Ash and looked at him pokerfaced. Internally, he was a little in awe of his deductions from just a simple early morning exploration.

Ash huffed and adjusted his shirt before putting the cake in the fridge. "I'm sorry I put you on the spot but there are better ways to ask me questions you know."

"Alright recruit, you made your point," Brock said. "But what's plan going on from here?"

Ash was slicing a loaf of bread and began making a sandwich. "It's a bit of a waiting game I'm afraid," he said.

"Are we going to have to wait till next year?"

"Just exercise a little patience. Did you notice the photo in the living room?"

"Uh...no?"

"It was a photo of a young man, probably in his 20s." Ash was now buttering his bread.

"So? The photo could be of their son!" Brock said.

"Indeed. But it's interesting isn't it?" he said, fully focused on his sandwich. "Ah, it's ready!"

"What is? What's the relevance?"

Ash took a bite of sandwich. "The son looks like he's in his 20s. But Carl called the part-time worker a 'she'. In other words, the part-time worker is a female. So, the question is, where is their son?"


	3. Chapter 3

"Hallo there Ms. Hall, yes we've got your whole wheat bread here... Ah Mrs. Grace, how lovely to see you again! Yes, one red velvet coming right up… Dorothy, would you like something for your parents and brother as well?"

A few weeks passed and Ash and Brock were still hard at work at Confection Convection. It almost seemed as if their intervention allowed business to boom.

"We can't thank you enough," Cathy said while Carl nodded. "Our part-timer hasn't been able to turn up due to exams, so she requested leave. We were really worried."

"It's not worry, Cathy," Ash said. Brock continued, "Yeah, of course. We enjoy working here. And we love the cake too!"

The quartet laughed. Ash was secretly glad that Brock had opened up.

"You know, since you're new here, I suspect you're not aware of it. But things are real bad here in general," Cathy said, her tone changing.

Ash looked at Brock and nodded. Together they feigned surprise.

"Oh? What do you mean? This seems like such a lovely city!" he said.

Carl looked around while Cathy shut the curtains. "People are real scared. There's a serial killer running around!" Carl said softly.

"What?!" Brock exclaimed but was immediately hushed down.

"I know, lad. Terrifying business, ain't it?" Cathy said.

Ash pressed on. He knew what Brock was pushing towards.

This was the first they were hearing of a serial killer.

"How do you know it's a serial killer?" Ash asked.

"Each victim is a male! It's always a male," Cathy said.

"And not only that, a pair of gloves was always found near the victims!" Carl continued.

"Oh shush honey, you know how that one's much debated. Most people claim it's a fake."

"But Cathy…"

Ash and Brock had mostly zoned out by this point.

"Men...and gloves huh," Ash said.

* * *

"Why? Why shouldn't we let her know?"

"Look we can tell her about the men part, even though Officer Jenny's probably already aware. However, the gloves part is a little circumstantial."

"But the gloves are also important!"

"Look closer at who the victims are once more."

Ash quickly flipped through the Interpol and Police Reports. Then it clicked.

Colonel Sanders… Construction worker

Pringle McCringleberry… Carpenter

Jonathan Joestar… Electrician

The three of them were involved in occupations requiring gloves.

"What about the rest?" he asked. "This guy was a teacher, this other guy was a student, this guy was a…"

"Where were they found?" Brock asked.

Ash read.

Market Square.

Shopping Mall.

Train station.

"You can't be serious, that's the reasoning?" he said smacking his fists into the table.

"Yep. Public places. Gloves are bound to found on anybody," Brock said. "Dinner's ready, by the way."

But Ash had lost all appetite.

* * *

The next day, Ash awoke early and ran by Confection Convection.

"I hope it's okay if Brock and I aren't able to make it today," Ash said, bowing down to the couple.

Carl and Cathy hardly heard him though. "Here stand up, Ash! You and Brock have helped us plenty the last couple of weeks, you've worked yourselves silly! We can hardly criticise you for wanting a break. Go and meet your friend."

Running back home, he was once again met with a Brock cooking breakfast.

"Officer Jenny came and dropped by a package you requested," Brock said, his back turned.

"Fantastic. Let's spend some time going through it, I've already taken the day off for us from the Confection Convection," Ash said, opening the package. "This contains every bit of information about Gilderoy Lockhart, a victim."

Brock raised his eyebrows as he served breakfast. "What are we doing today?"

"Today we're Lockhart's long-lost friend. We go to his house and gather as much information as possible."

"Okay, but why him from the entire list?"

"Lucky draw."

Brock burst out laughing. "Fair play, recruit."

* * *

The duo spent an hour skim reading the Police Report ("No need to know his high school grades," said Brock. "Or his favourite colour," said Ash).

And then they set out to the McDonald House. Walking to the house was reasonably easy; it was only 3 blocks away.

On the way, Brock tried to figure out Ash's game plan.

"What will you ask?"

"I don't know."

"How will you breach the subject?"

"I don't know."

Brock then figured that that was how Ash thought. He didn't care much for plans, he always thought on his feet. That would explain his behaviour for joining Confection Convection.

He always thought on the fly. An interesting, if useful ability for an agent.

Reaching the house, Ash took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

A middle-aged woman opened the door. "Yes?" she asked meekly.

"Hi, I'm Ash and this is my cousin, Brock. Are you Mrs. Lockhart?"

"Yes?" She still did not let up anymore room on the crack she had open.

"We're old friends of Gilderoy."

Immediately her face hardened. "Is that so? Next you'll step into my household and start conducting interviews? Harass my family? We've lost our son, how much more will the media bother us?!"

Ash was startled by the sudden change in her demeanour. "Sorry ma'am, but we're his genuine friends! We went to the same school, Petalburg High, where he had great grades. He then went on to study Chemical Engineering in Petalburg University!"

The woman let up a little but still did not open the door. "You media sycophants have certainly done your homework."

"Gilderoy's first girlfriend was my sister, Rosie!"

The woman's face softened. "The media wouldn't care for such trivial information. I suppose you're being genuine."

Ash breathed a sigh of relief as the door opened and Brock slowly patted his back. "Nice going, recruit."

* * *

Ash watched as Mrs. Lockhart poured them a cup of tea. Her hands were shaking, her face had worry lines scattered all over and was streaked with tear lines.

Ash felt sorry for the poor woman. Lost her son at the prime of his age; he could only hope Mr. Lockhart helped her out.

"So, you said you were Ash, correct? Your sister is Rosie?" she said. "Strange, I never knew she had a sibling."

Ash swallowed. "Yes, well we had our arguments and hated each other as siblings do. But we've made our peace for now."

Mrs. Lockhart seemed to buy it. "I see. Gilderoy was always a lone child so I wouldn't know much about sibling squabbles."

"Regardless, I have come in the place of my sister to pay our respects. Gilderoy was one of great friends in Petalburg High and it truly breaks me to know that…" Ash sobbed. Brock took the cue and looked down in despair.

"Oh you poor dears, please don't cry. You had no hand to play in it. What will Gilderoy think to see you broken like this?"

Ash nodded and wiped his tears away. "You're right, I'm sorry. It's just such a tragedy. I was away abroad to help my ailing father and I recently got back here. To be hit with such news…"

"I understand, dear," Mrs. Lockhart said. "Mr. Lockhart helps out a lot but he's also getting old. He's suffering from arthritis too, poor soul, and the news of our son just broke us."

Ash nodded. Together, the three of them spent a few minutes in silence before Mrs. Lockhart put on a brave smile (Ash could still see the sadness in her eyes) and said, "Sorry for bringing down the mood. What do you two do right now?"

Brock took charge. "As Ash said earlier, our education was disrupted by his ailing father. So now, we work at Confection Convection."

"They're our neighbours and were really glad to have our help," Ash said.

"Ah old Carl and Cathy," Mrs. Lockhart said. "Really, it seems tragedy befalls most young men. You two best be careful."

Brock and Ash silently looked at each other. It wasn't intentional, but Mrs. Lockhart had confirmed something Ash had theorised.

He was about to ask about the matter but a look from Brock made him hesitate. Truly, it wasn't their place to ask about someone else's son here.

So instead, he asked about something else. "Mrs. Lockhart, I'm sorry to bring this up again but before...before the tragedy, did Gilderoy seem unusual? Like different from normal?"

The woman's face saddened once more which made him feel guilty, but he had to know.

"No, I don't think so… Is there something wrong, Ash?" she said.

His heart began racing. He was going to have to take a gamble right now. Played poorly, and they'd break a lot more that the poor woman's heart.

"Well, I ask because I spoke to Gilderoy a few days before...the incident. Usually we talked about how we were and other miscellaneous stuff, but this time he was in a different mood."

The woman looked a little thoughtfully. "How so?"

"He seemed a little... secretive, almost excitable about something. Our usual phone call was greatly reduced as he seemed very distracted," Ash said.

"Hmm, I wonder if…yes, it's possible that that's what...maybe," she muttered. "Say, Ash, did you say you called a couple days before?"

He simply nodded.

Mrs. Lockhart clasped her hands around a necklace hanging around her neck. "You see, Gilderoy was a little bit like that with me too before his tragedy. He ended up making several trips to the jewellers. Eventually he told me it was to custom make two necklaces."

Brock scratched his chin. "Custom made? Necklaces? Is it possible that…"

Mrs. Lockhart shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know if he had a crush on someone. He wouldn't tell me. He told me that he was commissioning two necklaces and that was it. But they only found one on his body. So, I don't know if he was telling the truth at all."

Ash looked at the necklace. This sounded like important information.

Custom-made suggested unique. Maybe only a few copies existed in the whole world.

"But he did look happy for the first time in a while, so maybe he did find somebody. Either way, this is all I have left of him, apart from his photos."

"Can we take a photo of the necklace please?" Brock asked. "We miss him greatly too and it will be a great way to remember him."

"Yes, of course," Mrs. Lockhart said. "You must miss him almost as much as I do."

* * *

On the way back, Brock ended up ragging on Ash's methods.

"You do realise that you've lied to her, right?"

"Yes."

"And it will break her heart when she learns that?"

"Yes, but there's no way they can dispel it. Unless my 'sister' turns up."

"She could turn up. She was the first girlfriend."

"Unlikely. If they were that important to each other, she would have already probably finished her visit."

Brock just shook his head. There was still so much that could go wrong.

"Let's stop by Confection Convection. I want to check something," Ash said.

Brock nodded as they entered the bakery. Inside they were surprised to find…

"Hallo and welcome! What would you like, Red Velvet Bread or Whole Grain Cake? No, wait that's not right…"

They were faced with a woman, around her 20s, helping Cathy behind the counter.

Cathy noticed them and called them out. "Brock, Ash, here's our part-timer. She turned up today. Please meet May!"

May stuck out her hand. "Heard plenty about you two today. Pleased to meet you, I'm May!"

Brock shook her hand reluctantly, but Ash stood transfixed. Surely this was some kind of joke…?

May didn't seem to care. "Strange ones, huh? I don't bite, I promise!"

Cathy, May and Carl began engaging in conversation, but Ash and Brock had zoned out of it.

After all, May was wearing the same necklace that Mrs. Lockhart was wearing.


	4. Chapter 4

Ash held his hands over his face while Brock paced around the apartment. This was a twist neither of them was expecting.

To think that the woman Ash bumped into a couple weeks ago would wind up being intertwined.

"We need to talk to her. Immediately," said Brock.

Ash nodded. "I agree. But that's easier said than done, she barely turns up Confection Convection. And we just scurried away just now. Catching her will be difficult."

The sombre silence set in again. Even if they were prepared for May's arrival, Confection Convection was hardly the place to bring up Lockhart's murder.

Just then, the doorbell rang. "It's me, May! Cathy wanted to hand over some cakes but you two ran away before we could!"

They could hardly believe their luck. The person they really wanted to speak to was right at their doorstep!

Brock immediately dashed towards the door. "Ah thanks for bringing this in, May! We were just surprised to you at the bakery, that was it."

"Oh, I suppose that makes sense. I haven't turned up at all for a while due to my exams. Cathy and Carl are a little worried by the way," May said. "Oh, that's right! You're also the one I bumped into the other day! Funny how fate works, huh?"

Ash didn't say anything. That's where he recognised her from…

"What's with the atmosphere? Why are you panting? Why has he got his arms in his head?"

"We uh...we met someone important today. Ash is just a little worn out from that meet. I'll speak to Cathy and Carl tomorrow about this," Brock said.

"Someone important? Why does he look upset then?" she asked.

"It's just...this someone important was murdered in the recent string of murders," he said softly.

May bit her lip in response.

"It's okay, you didn't know," Ash said, straightening himself out. He'd have to thank Brock for saving him, and he led the subject to Lockhart perfectly. "His name was Gilderoy Lockhart. He was an important friend to me in Petalburg High."

May's face changed. He couldn't read her expression at all and it scared him.

"I see. Gilderoy was a friend of mine in Petalburg University. We did the same course, Chemical Engineering," she said, putting a finger on her chin. "But I went to Petalburg High too! I never saw you guys!"

Uh oh. He began sweating a little bit.

"What he means is that, his sister, Rosie went to Petalburg High and that's how he came to know Gilderoy," Brock said, trying to salvage the situation.

"Huh? Rosie was my best friend in Petalburg High. She was a lone child!" May said.

They looked away from May.

"Alright you two, what's going on? You're clearly lying to me!" she stomped her foot.

Ash winced. He looked to Brock to see what to do, but Brock had a look that said, _"You got in this mess, you get out of it."_

"I'm sorry," he said, utterly defeated. "It's a persona we cooked up. We're private investigators investigating the Crimson Killer case."

May looked at them. From what Ash said, she gathered he was saying the truth.

"Alright, I forgive you," she said. "I guess it's part of your job. But private investigators? That's so cool! Somebody must have commissioned you, right? Who is it? How much did they offer you?"

"Sorry, top secret," Brock said. "Commitment to our clientele."

May pouted but then immediately brightened up. "Fair enough. Can I help you? I'm great at gathering information! Ooh, I can get you all the big scoops!"

Ash shrugged. "We're not reporters. But I don't see why not. I won't deny you have a knack for getting information. Just please don't tell anyone else."

She nodded excitedly. "Ah but you've only been here for a couple weeks! First, I'll take you around town!"

With that, she ran to the doorstep. "I have a lot of planning to do tonight on where to take you. Be up by 7 tomorrow soldiers! May out!"

And she was off.

"Cheerful girl," Brock commented. "And truly a knack for getting the information she needs; we couldn't ask her anything about the necklace."

Ash put his head back into his hands. "We told her. Is this for the best?"

Brock patted his back. "Now you know why I prefer old school methods, recruit."

* * *

At 6:30am, May rang the bell. "Open up soldiers, we have a lot to get through!"

Brock moaned in annoyance. "Get her in recruit, she's going to wake up the neighbours."

Ash huffed and trudged slowly towards the door. She turned up earlier than the appointed hour, and Brock and Ash had hardly gotten any sleep.

Making his way to the door, he saw...May already inside cooking breakfast.

Maybe he was dreaming. This was a really weird dream where May rang the doorbell but was already inside. Why ring the doorbell then?

Figment-of-imagination-May then turned towards him. "I'm making pancakes, they'll be ready soon. Wh-Why aren't you ready? We need to get going soon!"

"You're just a dream version of May. When I wake up, I'll be back in my bed," he said dreamily.

She pinched his cheeks. "This is no dream soldier, now get changed! Stat!"

Ash dashed towards to bathroom. He saw May heading towards Brock's room from the corner of his eye.

"Poor Brock," he thought as he began his shower.

* * *

Eating pancakes while they had red marks on their cheeks. Ash didn't know whether to be terrified or amazed. This girl was full of surprises.

"How did you get in, May? I'm certain I locked the door last night," Brock said, drizzling some more maple syrup.

May looked up from the papers she was reading. "Hmm? Oh, I picked it," she said, showing her bag of lockpicks.

Terrified. This girl had dangerous skills.

"May, you do realise that could get you arrested?" Ash asked nervously.

"Yeah, I know," she said, her eyes still glued to the papers she was reading. "Hey, you guys aren't just Private investigators, are you?"

Brock frowned. Ash suddenly had a bad feeling. Looking over her shoulder he saw she was reading…

"May! These are confidential documents! You absolutely cannot be reading these!" he yelled as he swiped the Interpol reports. "Where did you even get them?"

"I picked the safe," she said, tongue in cheek. "But never mind that, you guys are Interpol agents!"

Brock sighed. This situation was getting worse and worse.

"Now is there anything else you're hiding from me?" she said, pouting while placing her hands on her hips.

Ash put his head in his arms. "No, there isn't."

"The no we're-actually-Interpol-agents or an actual no?" she said. "I'm not going to help you unless you tell me everything. How will I trust you otherwise?"

"No there's nothing else," Brock resigned. "Apart from the fact that Ash and I aren't cousins, there's nothing else."

"Fantastic!" May said, letting out a big smile. "May Maple at your service!"

This girl was dangerous.

* * *

The City Hall was further than Ash expected. He was a little upset over losing sleep, but he could see why May turned up early. They had a long commute.

"We're actually in the suburbs," May said. "The City Hall is a part of the proper city. There are a couple of other important places there too."

"May, don't you have classes or something?" Brock asked. "Don't get us wrong, we're grateful for your help but we don't want to distract you from your studies."

"Nah, don't worry about it. We just finished exams last week. Besides, I'm the only girl in my classes so all the guys hit on me."

Ash swallowed. _"What a strange brag."_

"And anyway, you guys are Interpol agents! Will I ever get the chance to work with them again?"

Brock grunted. "I don't think people in Kanto heard you. Why don't you try yelling louder?"

She looked a little confused. "Sure, but I don't think they'll hear me. YOU GUYS ARE-mmph!"

Ash shut his hand on her mouth. Making sure that nobody was looking, he said, "It was a joke, May. Please think a little more before you speak next time, I'd rather not blow our cover."

She nodded through his hand, blushing slightly.

* * *

"Here we are, City Hall!" May said, outstretching her arms. "What do you guys think?"

"Impressive," Ash said. He didn't know too much about architecture, but he could recognise excellent craftsmanship when presented.

It was a grad building, with its own garden and fountain. He truly had never seen a building command more presence than Petalburg's own City Hall.

"You know, they're the site that coined the term '100% energy efficient'. Massive solar panels and glass walls for natural light and heating!" May said, pointing at some of the glass windows.

"Geez May," Ash grumbled. "You're a chemical engineer, a great lockpicker and a history buff. Is there anything you can't do?"

"Rubbish," Brock said. "She just heard one of the tour guides."

Ash looked in betrayal towards May who just stuck her tongue out.

"Why you…"

Separating the two of them, Brock said, "We're here at the City Hall. What's your plan, recruit?"

Ash thought for a second. Even though they had taken May into their confidence, he didn't want anyone else to know. More than 3 becomes a crowd.

"I don't want our covers blown by entering the front door," he admitted. "It's been useful in gathering intel."

"Well, then I guess we can sightsee and leave," Brock said, shrugging. "Not much else to do here and I'd rather not leave after the long journey."

"Um, we could break in. I have done it before."

Ash slapped his forehead. He didn't know what to do with this woman.

"You do realise you've admitted to committing a major crime, right?" Brock said, laughing nervously.

"Yeah, but it's important! You need as much information and intel as possible!" she exclaimed; her eyes gleaming. "Pretty please?"

Ignoring the fact that she used the same word twice, Ash weighed his options. Possible intel versus breaking and entering a major building. He hated his luck.

"What's your call, recruit?" Brock asked. "We don't have to go in, after all we still haven't pursued the necklace business."

"The necklace will probably lead us to a dead end, maybe pinning for crimes that aren't murder," he said. May watched on cutely, confused by the discussion between the two. "I think we should go for it."

"Last chance, recruit, being an agent doesn't put you above the law."

Taking one more look at May, "Let's do it."

* * *

Being an agent meant taking risks. Risks that sometimes went above and beyond them as people (and their paygrade too).

He didn't realise he'd have to take such a risk so soon on the job. Their role as Interpol was to keep peace and respect the land's laws. Breaking the law...he didn't know how he felt about it. Perhaps that was the inexperience talking.

"Alright so once we break in, we move to the 2nd floor. Follow me and move exactly as I do. That way, we'll avoid the guards and the security cameras," May instructed, as she began picking the lock of the back door. Brock was keeping watch to ensure no one unexpected turned up.

Ash gulped as he watched her deftly move her hands. She muttered as she used her picks and he had to wonder: how was May so good at the uh..._shady _side of life? Why was she committed to help them?

But more importantly, who was she as a person?

It seemed his questions would have to wait as she had finished her task. "Follow me at all costs."

And so, they began army crawling on the ground. Ash had to admire the girl; she knew what she was doing. She knew where every security camera was and how large their radius was, she knew where every guard was stationed and how often and where they would go on rounds. He had to tell himself that May was helping him out and couldn't be a bad person.

So why did he feel so uneasy?

An unexpected door opened. They were now on opposite sides of the door. If she didn't look back, he'd be stuck without her to guide him. He hoped the person inside wouldn't step outside.

Feeling his heart hammering through his ribcage, he sighed in relief as the door shut once more.

May, who was now several feet ahead, looked behind her. "Why are you still there? Stop staring at my butt and get here quick!"

Ash had never crawled forward faster.

* * *

"Alright, we're here at Archives. The reports should be filed alphabetically so let's try looking under 'C'," May said, as the two dashed into the room.

Ash pulled out the 'C' drawer and began sorting through the files. "…Here we are, Crimson Case."

Slowly pulling out the file, he held out it out so the two could read.

Victims…

Autopsy…

Address…

"This report seems to be lacking in information, even compared to the police report," May said to which he had to agree. There was no new information whatsoever. He was disappointed.

"Let's go before someone finds us. We can grab some lunch afterwards," Ash said.

As May walked towards the door, Ash noticed a post-it note stuck onto one of the pages.

"Phil Swift," he read. Phil Swift? Who was Phil Swift? What was his name here?

"Ash, hurry up!"

He pocketed the note and ran after May. He'd worry about this "Phil Swift" fellow later.

* * *

"There are some good restaurants around here. Take your pick," May said, pointing to a line of restaurants along the road.

Ash whistled. "Geez, you're spoilt for choice. I'm okay wherever."

Brock shrugged his shoulders. "Me too. We don't know too much so maybe you can point us somewhere, May?"

She nodded and led them to a small restaurant. "Printemps. It's one of my favourites."

Grabbing a table for three, with Ash and May on one side and Brock on the other, they began relaxing.

"I had never been happier to see the two of you," Brock said. "Than when you two left the City Hall without being spotted."

"Me either. You should have seen May, she's a real pro inside City Hall," Ash said, as May blushed slightly.

"Well, I try my best. Besides, you were staring at my butt in there!" she exclaimed.

Brock raised his eyebrows. "Sexual assault is unbecoming of an agent, recruit."

"Wh-what? I never…" he sputtered. Both Brock and May got a good laugh out of this.

A waiter arrived and Ash cleared his throat. Together, they ordered, and the waiter promptly left.

"Now," Brock said. "Whilst we're here, let's get something cleared up. May, where did you get your necklace from?"

"Geez Brock, there's a better way to compliment the necklace if you liked it," May said, giggling slightly. Seeing that neither of them were amused, she continued in a serious tone. "Why ask? You're probably aware from whom I got it."

Both nodded. "Lockhart," Ash said. "So, let me rephrase the question. When did you get it from him?"

"A couple days before his death. Let me also say that I don't know...or rather didn't know Gilderoy very well."

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

May absentmindedly fiddled with the spoon in front of her. "Kinda hard to explain when you're not in the group but anyway, Gilderoy and I were friends but that was really it. We didn't talk a lot to each other. I only knew him through your 'sister', Ash."

Food had arrived, which interrupted her flow.

"Please continue. Tell us everything, no matter how small," Ash said.

"Like I said earlier, your 'sister' was my best friend in high school, we're just a little out of touch now. She was dating Gilderoy at the time and that's how I got to know him. I never interacted with him though, I heard about him through Rosie. Close to graduation, they had a massive argument and broke up. Shame, they were a great couple," she said, taking a sip of her drink.

"What happened?" Brock asked.

"I don't know," May admitted. "I think it had something to do with where they would go after high school. Rosie told me that he promised to be with her in university, but they broke up when he changed his mind and said he was going to do Chemical Engineering in Petalburg University, just like me, whereas she was going elsewhere for English Literature. I guess I was surprised, I had always heard that Gilderoy was great at English."

"What happened?"

"Not sure. Rosie told him my plans and he seemingly changed his mind after that."

Ash and Brock shared a look at each other. They had an idea as to what was going on. They could even guess why the so called 'good couple' broke up.

"Now because we were in the same university and course, Gilderoy and I became proper friends, but we never interacted much. A circle formed and so we just kinda drifted."

"What about the necklace?" Ash asked.

"I got it from him a couple days before his death. He said it was a token of his friendship and that he would be giving one to everyone in the group. I don't know what became of that," May said.

He frowned. They had conflicting pieces of information from Mrs. McDonald and May. Either someone was confused, or someone was hiding something.

He hoped it wasn't the latter. But there was no way to know now, the person responsible was long gone.

"Say May, before his demise, did Lockhart seem any different to you? Maybe a little excitable?" Brock asked. Ash had completely forgotten about that.

"He seemed normal to me," she said. "Though he did speak and hang out with me a little more than usual."

"Do you think you can find out with his closer friends if anything was amiss?"

May felt a little on the spot but seeing the insistence in their eyes, she knew she had no choice.

"Sure, I'll ask and find out."

* * *

"We still have some time before the next attraction. What do you say we take a walk in the park?" May asked.

"You're the boss," Brock said while Ash shrugged.

May then led them to the nearby park. It was nice to relax, if only momentarily. Ash could see how much of a toll constant work had on him. He'd almost completely forgotten the meaning of rest.

The park was quiet. There weren't many people around, probably still at work. Kids were still in school. It was enjoyable to just let loose and soak in the sound of trees around him.

His state of relaxation was interrupted by someone yelling from the other side of the park. "...don't show your face again! Leave us alone!" a woman's voice called.

"Maybe we should have a look," Brock suggested as they jogged towards the commotion.

There was a man holding a woman's arm, teddy bear in the other hand and spouting some intelligible words.

"Now now, ladies, what's going on here?" Ash called, running up to them.

"He's been harassing us here! Something about some devil and the Wrath of God," one said. "He's off his rocker! Please help us!"

With that, Ash placed on a hand on the man. "Tell me your stories, buddy. I'm sure your teddy and I will be ready to listen."

The two women took the cue and set off with Brock. The man now looked up in surprise towards Ash. "Will you really?"

"Of course! Here, I'll hold your teddy-"

"NO!" the man suddenly exclaimed as Ash jumped a couple feet. "You will not touch my teddy!"

Ash was clueless as to what to do. On one hand, his hand was held by this strange man, but this strange man was also trying to distance himself.

Thankfully, May came to the rescue. "Alright, Ash let's get going," she said, taking his hand out of the man's grip and walking on.

As he was dragged away by May, he saw the strange man recoil in fear. "It's her! She did it! She's the Devil Woman!"

"Let's get out of here, Ash," May's voice brought him back to reality. "We'll talk about that guy when we're out of the park."

* * *

Stepping out of the park, they saw Brock waiting for them. "Who is that guy?" he asked.

"Just your resident vagabond, nobody important," May said.

Ash looked at her incredulously. "Are all vagabonds that extreme here?"

May laughed. "No no, he's...a special case. Pretty sure he's insane. Not sure why they haven't put him in an institution. Don't worry about him too much."

Seeing no reason to pursue it further, Ash dropped the matter.

"Now then, onto the next location! The nightclub!" she said, pumping her fists.

Brock and Ash looked at each other. "May, we're on duty. We won't be able to drink," Ash said.

"Oh don't be like that!" she said, pouting. "What harm will 1 drink do?"

* * *

"What harm will 1 drink do?" Ash grumbled. "She's a lightweight."

"Stop complaining and carry her!" Brock said, as the two carried her using their shoulders. "Let's take her home. It will be easier to monitor her that way."

Ash nodded as they walked in silence back home.

Back home, they set her on his bed. "I'll keep an eye on her."

Brock said nothing. Hopefully the recruit would stick to his morals

* * *

Ash had trouble sleeping. There was a lot going on in his mind. May trying to get as close to him as possible certainly didn't help.

Eventually, he got out of bed. He needed some fresh air to clear his mind.

"Something up recruit?"

He felt much more relaxed. Just the person her was looking for.

"I hope you don't mind me ranting, Brock," he said.

Brock sat down and motioned for him to do the same. "Is it about May?"

"Yes and no," Ash sighed. "My entire focus is on the case. I don't know if I see May as anything more than a friend, if that's what you're implying."

"Okay, so she's a friend. How would you feel if you had the chance to date her?"

"Fine, I suppose. She's a great person but I guess I don't really know her well enough."

"What if somebody took her from you?"

"Not too happy, she's my friend."

Brock tapped his head. "What do you think?"

"A relationship hasn't crossed my mind. There's a lot more going on," Ash said quietly. "Listen Brock, there's something else-"

"Good morning!"

Ash snapped out of his thoughts. May had just woken up.

_"5:30 in the morning?!" _He thought.

"Morning May," Brock said. "How are you feeling?"

"Slight headache," she said, rubbing her temples. "I'll manage. I have to go back today; I'll have missed some work, so I need to catch up. You'll be okay without me?"

Brock looked at Ash. He still had a faraway look on his face. What was up with him?

"Yeah, we'll be fine. Probably help Cathy and Carl today," he said tentatively.

Ash still didn't say anything.

May looked at him, expecting a response. "Is he okay?" she whispered.

Brock shrugged. Something was up but he had no idea.

"I'll see you later, Ash," she said softly.

He mutely nodded.

May then took her leave. Brock dashed back towards him. "Alright recruit, she left. What's wrong?"

Ash said nothing and stared at the doorway. Brock followed his eyes and found Officer Jenny at the doorway.

"Why was there a girl in your apartment so early in the morning?" she panted. "Never mind that, we have bad news!"

Brock cursed his luck. Ash would have to wait. "What is it, Officer?"

"We have a witness to the Crimson Case! Two witnesses have come forward as to who the killer is!"

Brock looked at the report she held. In it was a description of man named Phil. And his attached photo-

"No way," he breathed.

Ash glanced at the photo. "How does it all fit?" he banged his fists angrily.

The photo he was holding was that of the strange man from the park yesterday.

* * *

"So, Ash my boy, are you sure Brock's okay?"

Ash wiped the sweat away from his forehead before responding.

"Yeah, he should be okay. Officer Jenny just took him for questioning about a potential witness," he said, lifting the box he had set down.

Carl patted his back. "This murder business has us all quaking in our boots. To think you young 'uns got mixed up in it too…"

"Don't worry Carl, we'll be fine. He should be out later today."

He was barely registering any of the conversations directed at him. Although he played it down, the matter was a lot deeper. He didn't really know when Brock would return. He was currently helping the police look for the missing culprit and that could take some time.

But his mind was more occupied with the post-it note.

* * *

Ash rocketed off his chair as he saw Brock entering the house later that evening. "Any news? What came off the investigation?"

Brock sighed and plopped onto a chair. "Fix me some tea, will you? I'll tell you everything then."

He nodded and set out looking for a pan and some tea bags. After a couple of minutes, he served the piping hot liquid.

"Ah, thanks," Brock said, sipping a little. "Now then, the culprit. We started near the park based on my request. Found him a little later trying to bust into City Hall."

He frowned. "What was he trying to do there?"

Brock shrugged, taking another sip of his tea. "We arrested him and took him to the Police Station for questioning, but he couldn't answer a single question."

"What happened?"

"I got a good look at him only in the station. He had several marks on his arms and his pupils were severely dilated. It was no wonder he was behaving as he was when we first saw him."

"You don't mean…drugs?"

"Yep. Positive for the initial test. Did a thorough search of him and found a lot of antidepressants. Just to make sure it wasn't a false positive, we did the GC-MS test***** too. Still positive."

"Did you find anything else?"

Brock drained the remaining tea in his cup. "Not on his person but in his teddy bear. Loads of needles primed for injecting. Lots of illicit drugs."

"How did you question him then?"

Brock headed for the sink and began rinsing his cup. "The lab boys cooked some magic that even I'm not sure of. Had to wait quite a while though. Eventually, he was somewhat fit for questioning. We couldn't really ask too much though."

Ash was on the edge of his seat now. "What did you find?"

"He was a professor of chemistry it seems, worked at Petalburg University." Seeing Ash's eyes widen, he continued. "Yeah, surprised me too. May never mentioned him, did she?"

Ash stared at him. Something was turning the gears of his brain. "Let me guess Brock, his name was Phil Swift?"

This time Brock's eyes widened. "How did you know? No, hang on-there was something in the City Hall, right? That's what you wanted to tell me this morning."

"Sorry," Ash said, scratching the back of his head. "I didn't know how everything fit together or if he was even relevant."

"Glad that's cleared up," Brock said. "Anyway, I'm more interested in why his name cropped up there. Maybe a connection with a politician?"

"I hope not. I'd rather not get involved in politics. Did you find out anything else?"

"I saved the biggest for last. His memory is a little poor due to the antidepressants, but he recalls enough about the missing and murder cases."

"And?"

"Do you remember the two women he was harassing? They stepped forward to accuse him."

Ash frowned. "I don't like this at all…"

Brock relaxed against the chair. "Not sure what they thought but my interrogation was stringent. No stones left unturned."

Ash swallowed.

"He claims to be the one responsible, but his events don't match up with the crime scene at all."

Ash stared at Brock's eyes, looking for any hint of humour.

"The women lied. In other words, Phil Swift is not the killer."

He could see none. They were back to square one.

* * *

Ash ended up taking a few days of absence from Confection Convection whilst Brock took his place. "We're at a dead end and desperately need to find a new lead. This is your first case recruit, so you should deal with it," Brock said.

Easier said than done. He was at a loss for what they could pursue now. All he could think of was publicising Phil's name.

"_I'm not sure why you plan on doing this but sure," _Officer Jenny had said.

He had to make sure though. That's why he didn't even tell Brock about the plan.

His phone beeped. A new message from May.

"_I don't have a lot of experience with solving cases. I can't think like a detective does. But whenever we're stuck on a problem, my professor always says it's good to review the question entirely. Phrase what it's asking for in a different way. You can't solve your problems using the same thinking that you used to create them."_

He could tell her heart was in the right place. But he had attempted this already. Shame her friends had nothing on Lockhart either.

"_Something interesting though, why don't you try looking into where he got the drugs from in the first place? It's not like you can just buy them from a shop."_

Now that was an interesting point. Maybe he should ask Brock and try looking into it.

He was about to head to Confection Convection when a knock from the door snapped him from his thoughts.

"Hello? Ash? Brock? This is urgent, open up please!"

His heart began hammering through his ribcage. He had a feeling he wouldn't like the message she had brought.

Opening the door, he met none other than Officer Jenny.

"Calm down, Officer. Tell me what's happened," he said, ignoring the sinking feeling in his stomach.

He could see the panic in her eyes, the sheer amount of exhaustion in her stance. He couldn't blame her; the Crimson Case had been a wild ride from start to finish.

"The suspect, Phil Swift! He was murdered last night!"

* * *

***GC-MS refers to Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. You fire a bunch of electrons and figure the composition of some mixture by measuring the time they take to fly around a loop. This is apparently used by the police to ensure there is no false positive in a drugs test that can sometimes be caused by antidepressants and the like.**


	5. Chapter 5

Ash waited for Brock's shift to end before reporting. Better to leave Cathy and Carl in the dark, they were already a little suspicious of the duo's random disappearances.

"I don't like the look you're sporting, recruit," came a voice from the door. He had never been more relieved to see the senior agent.

"Trouble's back in town, Brock," he said, sighing a little. "Phil was murdered last night. Officer Jenny came by and dropped the CCTV footage."

Brock's eyes moved to view the TV screen that was playing the footage. Not much could be seen, apart from the silhouette of the presumed attacker against the moonlight from the ventilation hole.

"You don't seem too fazed by this," Brock said, eyeing Ash.

He shrugged. "I expected this to be honest. He knew too much and it was only a matter of time."

Brock lost his temper at this. He thrust a powerful punch onto Ash's face.

"You took a gamble, didn't you? You gambled with a person's life!" he thundered. Ash could do nothing but rub his cheek and hold his head in shame.

"I had a feeling something was wrong when you asked for his name to be publicly reported. Now I know. It was all so that you could lure out the real culprit. But look where that precious mistake has taken you."

Ash stared at his feet. "I'm sorry."

"Mr. Cool and his massive ego here. Just because you managed to drag some private information out of people, you think you're King of the World. Be prepared for a punishment when this case is over."

A simple nod.

"Anyway, reports on the body?" Brock asked. Ash produced the documents he was given sometime earlier.

"Autopsy says Phil was killed by a knife slitting his jugular. Death was instantaneous, but it looks like his assailant and him had quite the struggle beforehand," Ash said.

Brock scanned the reports. Nothing substantial there. "Any sightings of our culprit?"

"None in the vicinity. The police are still investigating how the culprit could have entered. But, here's something interesting."

He reached out for a photograph and handed it to Brock. It was a picture of the body of Phil.

"Hmm, now that's interesting. A pair of gloves and- "

"And a necklace. May's necklace."

Brock looked at his face. No emotion whatsoever. His tone had lost all its previous excitement as well.

"What do you plan on doing now?"

"We'll convict her. She is the culprit behind the Crimson Case. She will be brought to justice."

"How do you plan on doing that?"

He frowned at Brock. "What do you mean? We have all this evidence- "

"What evidence?"

Was Brock playing games? "I'm talking about the gloves, the necklace- "

"You say that is evidence, I say it is not. Circumstantial at best. Remember why?"

He paled as he recalled the matter of the gloves. "But what about the necklace then?"

"We heard it straight from the horse's mouth. Didn't May testify that Gilderoy was going to gift every one of his friends? His mother does not know how many necklaces he commissioned. The only one who knows has long departed," Brock said dryly.

"But May could have been lying. She was lying!"

"And you have evidence to that fact?"

Ash gritted his teeth. "May's a chemical engineer. She could have accessed the drugs that Phil used."

"Possibly, but so could have Phil himself. He was a chemistry professor after all."

"What about her skills then? She is an expert lockpicker. She knows the layout of City Hall like the back of her hand."

"You're really grasping at straws now. Anybody can become a lockpicker with enough patience. The only crime you can convict her of is breaking and entering, not murder."

Ash slumped onto the table. To think they made so much progress, all to be beaten at the finish line. "What have we been doing this whole time? We have nothing!"

Brock watched him. He was feeling the same level of disappointment. "But the show is not over yet. We have our culprit; all we need to do is catch her."

Good old Brock, coming back to his rescue. He knew just the right words to say. Slowly, he could feel a plan surfacing in his mind.

"You're right," he said, feeling rejuvenated. "We will catch her. And I think I know just how."

"We will, Ash."


	6. Chapter 6

"Say, Ash, does this dress make me look fat?"

Ash turned towards the voice calling him. May was in front of him, changed into one of the dresses she was trying out.

"I uh don't really know. You look the same as always," he shrugged.

She pouted at this. "How am I supposed to buy if you don't give me any input? At least tell me I'm beautiful."

He put his hand behind his head and nervously laughed. But internally, he was disgusted with the little skit. He hated how she was behaving. Killing people and then putting on a cutesy act.

"_Only for some more time," _he told himself. _"Only for some more time…"_

"It's getting kinda late. Do you want to grab dinner now?" she asked, stepping out of the changing room. Ash took a deep breath and nodded.

She surprisingly led him to a nightclub. He was a little confused but followed her anyway.

"Why here of all places?" he asked, buying them some lemonade.

"Well, the last time we were at a nightclub, our night was ruined because of me. I wanted to make up for that," she said. "Besides, there's no Brock today to interrupt us."

Ash couldn't sense any bit of affection in her statement. It made his hairs stand on end.

"C'mon, it was a joke! Why so serious?" She laughed as she reached out for his cap and put it on her head.

He ignored her actions and focused on his drink. Was lemonade always this bitter?

"Now, onto business. There's a reason you called me out today, right? Not just to spend time?"

She was away for so long he had almost forgotten how sharp she was. "Yes."

"And, what is it?"

"We have a new suspect. You."

She didn't seem fazed by his accusation. "I see now. Yeah, that's why Brock is not here," she mumbled.

Ash focused his eyes on her, looking for any kind of emotions.

None.

"I'm sorry it turned out this way, Ash, I really am. I was hoping it wouldn't come down to this but here we are," she said, her mouth curling downwards. "But you left me no choice."

She held out a packet of…white powder. A chill went down Ash's back as he looked down at his drink.

Surely, she didn't. She wouldn't have been able to…

No, she had a chance. When she grabbed his hat…

He desperately tried to puke out the liquid he had just consumed. _"Charcoal! Where would…charcoal…"_

But the drugs were already starting to affect him. The last thing he saw was May's face filled with sorrow.

* * *

"A click on one, two is binding, click on three… There!"

The door swung open. Brock looked pleased with himself and entered. May wasn't the only one with skills.

His victory was short lived. He doubled over, desperately trying to cover his nose.

"What…is that pungent smell?" he gasped, trying to reach for a handkerchief in his pockets.

Quickly covering his nose with it, he took a few deep breaths. He could still feel the rancid smell trying to assault him, but he chose to ignore it. He had a greater mission here.

There was not much to see around. The house was neat and tidy, nothing seemingly out of place.

But something caught his eye. A large iron door blocking the entrance to what seemed to be the basement. Brock had to wonder how May was able to afford such a place, being a college student.

Shaking his thoughts away, he opened the massive door. Looking at what was below-

Brock clutched the wall and threw up. He had never seen such a gruesome sight before. No wonder that pungent smell ran through the entire house. How did May live here?

Just below the stairs was a large pile of corpses. He could see the maggots infesting them; the very sight sent shivers down his spine.

In all his years of training and working as an agent, he was used to seeing dead bodies. But nothing could have ever prepared him for the sight in front of him.

Deciding to take a closer look, Brock stepped forward into the basement. Even without the maggots, several bodies had been disfigured cruelly. He couldn't fathom how someone could be so vile and yet behave as if nothing had ever happened.

Regardless, he had the evidence he needed. It was time to report back to Ash and bring her to justice. Once and for all.

A loud creak echoed into the basement. Brock turned around but it was already too late.

The door had been shut.

He ran up the steps and banged on the door. No movement. There was no handle on the inside either.

Panicking, he began yelling at the top of his voice. "May! Is that you? Open the damn door!"

No response. He didn't know what time it was or how long he was in here for. Waiting for rescue was a no-go. He could try contacting Ash!

"No signal," he said. The iron door and walls created a Faraday Cage. He smacked himself for being so stupid.

Reality began to settle. He was trapped.

"No, Ash needs me," he said, banging against the door with all his might.

But the door refused to budge.


	7. Epilogue

My eyes finally opened, only to be greeted by…white. White all around me.

I massaged my throbbing forehead as I pushed myself upright. I was lying on what looked like a hospital bed inside a white room.

I tried racking my brain. Nothing. I couldn't remember what happened.

Then it struck me. I couldn't remember _anything._

Who I was, where I came from, how I ended up like this…nothing

Panic settled in me as I tried getting out of bed. Only to realise I couldn't. My body was feeling so weak, it refused to move.

A door I had not seen earlier opened. In came a woman dressed like a nurse. "You're finally awake!"

Was this a hospital? Why don't I remember what happened to me? Was that why my body was so weak?

"I'm sorry, I don't know how I got here," I said.

The nurse simply laughed. Something felt off. There was a strange smell in the room too.

Come to think of it, if we were in a hospital, where were the other patients? I was all alone in the room, no curtains or anything. Just a white room.

"Please. Tell me, who am I? Who are you? How did I get here?" I asked desperately. My gut was raising all kinds of warning flags.

"I am May Maple, just taking care of you," she said, as she began fondling my hair. "As for who you are, that's a little complicated."

For a second, I thought I saw something. Something about a necklace. The colour red. Some gloves.

Then it all disappeared. I hated not knowing anything.

"Please. I really need to know who I am," I said, my voice breaking slightly.

"Okay, your name is Ash Ketchum," she said, looking straight into my eyes. "And you're mine."

"I'm sorry-what?" I said. All emotion was lost from her voice. Her eyes were glazed and unfocused as they stared at the surrounding nothingness.

"You'll be mine forever."

* * *

**Oh boy, this took forever to write.**


End file.
